Alcohol may have been a factor in a crash that occurred in Lake County, Indiana that killed a woman from Crete, Illinois and injured a man from Indiana. Neither car held any passengers.

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, Annette Orellana was driving westbound in the vicinity of 98^th and Sheffield avenues outside of St.

John, Indiana about 2:42 a.m. when she was rear-ended by another vehicle. The 43-year-old Crete resident was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center and passed away on Sunday at approximately 12:41 a.m.

Anthony Vanderheyden, the driver of the other vehicle was airlifted to Loyola University Hospital with serious internal injuries. The 35-year-old Dyer, Indiana man was still there as of Monday morning. Lake County Sheriff’s department is investigating the accident and believes alcohol played a part in the crash. No charges have been filed at this time.

An automobile accident can change lives in an instant. If you or a loved one has lost someone due to a car accident, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 for experienced representation. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

A semi-truck rolled over following a collision with another truck that resulted in the semi driver’s death on December 6, 2011. The other driver refused medical treatment at the scene.

David Diding, of Joliet, was southbound on U.S. Highway 41 when his semi-tractor-trailer struck a truck being driven by Gary Gudeman, of Kentland, Indiana. Gudeman was trying to cross the highway at Princeton Parkway when his vehicle was struck by Diding’s semi. According to witnesses at the scene, the semi rolled over two or three times.

Diding was reportedly ejected from the vehicle. The 47 year-old-man was taken to Iroquois Memorial Hospital where he later died from massive internal injuries. Gudeman refused treatment at the scene. The accident is currently under investigation by Newton County sheriff’s police.

Accidents involving a large vehicle changes a life in an instant. If you or a loved one knows someone who has been injured in an accident involving a semi tractor-trailer truck, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to find out if there is a need for legal representation. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

 The Albany Park neighborhood in Chicago was the scene of an accident on the morning of Monday, December 12 in which a car struck a pedestrian after hitting several parked cars. The vehicle then smashed into a flower shop.

The accident occurred around 7:15 in the morning as a pedestrian was waiting for the #82 Kimball/Homan bus at Irving Park Road. A silver Buick sedan was seen going faster than normal in a northerly direction on Kimball. The driver veered right and hit some parked cars before hitting the pedestrian. It then hit a black SUV and both vehicles crashed into Bonnie Flower Shop, going through the store front window.

The pedestrian was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital and was reported to be in critical condition. The driver was taken to a different hospital but that person’s condition is unknown at this time.  

An accident causes injuries that last a lifetime in a matter of seconds.

If you or a loved one knows someone who has been injured as a pedestrian by a vehicle, call Spiros Law t 815-929-9292  to explore their legal rights. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

On the 21st of December a concerned citizen called in an accident that occurred near milepost 316 on Interstate 57 in Bradley.

Emergency responders from the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District and Illinois State Police found a 2004 Chevrolet submerged upside down in a pond about one mile north of the I-57 exit for Bradley and Bourbonnais.

The body of the driver, Joliet resident Michael L. Simms, was recovered from the vehicle. It was reported that the Chevrolet left the southbound lane if the interstate before over-turning and sliding into the pond. The cause of the accident is under investigation. The 27-year-old Simms was a former player on the Kankakee County Soldiers basketball team.

Accidents can take a life instantaneously. If you or a loved one has lost someone because of a vehicle accident, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to explore your legal rights. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

 A 76-year-old Chicago woman was hit by a Dodge Caravan on Saturday morning and died later that day from her injuries. The driver allegedly fled from the scene but was later arrested for leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

The accident took place on December 5, 2011 in the 4500 block of Sunnyside Avenue in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago. Hyun Cho was crossing the street at 7:15 a.m. when she was hit by a blue 2006 Dodge Caravan driven by Jose Cornejo-Flores, a 51 year old Guatemalan immigrant.

Cho died later that day and a subsequent autopsy determined she died from multiple injuries caused by the crash.

Cornejo-Flores did not assist Cho nor did he give his information to police before leaving the scene. He has since been arrest and held on a bail of $50,000.

A hit-and-run accident can take the life of a loved one in a moment. If you or someone you know has lost someone in a hit-and-run accident, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to determine your legal rights. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

Little Rock Township in Kendall County was the scene of a fatal head-on collision between a pick-up truck and semi truck on Sunday, November 6, 2011. The driver of the pick-up truck died at the scene while the other driver was taken to Copley Hospital.

The accident took place at the intersection of Jones And Galena Roads. Galena  Road is also know as County Highway 9. Ronald Orr, 62, was driving his pick-up truck west-bound on Galena Road when he crossed over the yellow line into the east-bound lane.

The Paw-Paw resident was declared dead at the scene of the accident according to Kendall County Coroner Ken Toftoy. Wesley N. Morris who was driving the semi-truck was taken to Copley Hospital in Aurora with minor injuries.

Accidents cause damage and takes lives in an instant. If you or a loved one have lost someone in an accident involving a semi truck, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to explore your legal rights in this situation. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com

In the early hours of November 3, 20011, a train derailment lead to a fiery scene after the collision of two trains in the area of unincorporated Cook County between Elgin and Bartlett. The derailment has caused the temporary closure of the Milwaukee West Line.

Around 5:30 a.m., twenty-two cars derailed and three began to burn after the collision occurred between two trains on the Canadian National rail lines that are north-south tracks at the point where they cross with the east-west Milwaukee West commuter rail line. One of the trains was a northbound Canadian National freight train. 

There were no reported injuries and nor were there any evacuations. The cars that were carrying toxic material of acid and sodium hydroxide (lye) were cleared from the derailment area and did not catch afire. However, the storage sheds for the Milwaukee Commuter line were blocked by the derailment which prevented the cars for east and west bound lines from being dispatched. This is expected to last through Friday as crews clean up the accident site.

Train derailments can cause more than delays in commuter rail lines.

If you or a loved one knows someone who has injuries as a result of a train derailment, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to find out your legal rights. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

A Manteno resident was struck by a vehicle while he was jogging in the early morning hours of Tuesday, November 01, 2011. Manteno High School teacher and wrestling coach Cory Blanchette died at the scene and was pronounced dead at the scene by Kankakee County Coroner Robert Glessner.

Blanchette was jogging southbound on North 3000E.

Road (also known as Sycamore Road). He was hit by a southbound car about a half a mile north of East 9000N Road which is also called County Highway 9. The vehicle has been identified as a red 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that was driven by a 21-year-old man from Dolton.

The driver of the vehicle submitted blood samples, as required by state law, and gave no obvious indication of impairment.  The accident continues to be under investigation and results of the accident reconstruction are pending.

A life of a loved one can be lost in an instant from a vehicle accident. If you or loved one has loss someone close because of a vehicular accident, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to explore your legal rights. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

A Kankakee resident lost his life after the car he was riding in hit into a squad car of an off-duty Kankakee County Sheriff’s officer.

On Sunday, October 23^rd, Jacob Roof, 23, was a passenger in a 1993 Oldsmobile driven by Tony Larry, also of Kankakee.  Around 8 p.m. the car was headed west on 2000S Road when Larry, 40, failed to stop at the intersection of Route 115. The Oldsmobile struck the 2011 Chevrolet squad car as Officer Craid Horstman,36, was traveling south on Illinois Route 115.

Roof was taken to the hospital and died on the operating table, according to Kankakee County Coroner Bob Gessner. Horstman and Larry were also taken to area hospitals but

were released. The accident is currently under investigation and charges are pending at press time.

A missed stop sign can make life-altering changes. If you or a loved one has lost a family member in a traffic accident, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to find out your legal options. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.

 Stelle was the scene of a hit-and-run accident that sent a Kankakee Community College professor to Loyola University Hospital for surgery. The accident took place in the late evening hours of October 20, 2011.

Tim Wilhelm, professor and program director of business and technology at KCC,  was outside of his home in the Ford County village when a Dodge Ram pickup driven by rural Gilman resident Kaleb Robinson, 20. The accident caused damage to Wilhelm in the head and shoulders, pelvis, and femur.

Witnesses state that Robinson was speeding through the village and revving his engine. After the accident, Robinson was charged with felony hit-and-run with personal injury, criminal trespass, and reckless driving.

He was released with bond from the Ford County Jail in Paxton.

Being hit by a reckless driver causes serious injuries. If you or a loved one knows someone who has been hurt in a hit-and-run accident, call Spiros Law at 815-929-9292 to find out your legal options. Visit the website at www.spiroslaw.com.